The twentieth regular session of the North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly was held yesterday. All items on the agenda were adopted, however, what truly marked yesterday’s session were the serious accusations made by the chairman of this institution against the mayor of North Mitrovica.
One of the items on the agenda, according to the initial announcement from last week, was a draft on municipal services and conditions for subsidies, grants and the like. However, the day before the session, the agenda was changed. „Non-implementation of the decisions of the Municipal Assembly by the executive authority“ and „cooperation between the Municipal Assembly and the executive authority“ were included on the agenda.
These very points marked today’s session, during which the chairman of the MA, Nedzad Ugljanin, shared a series of accusations against the mayor of the municipality of North Mitrovica, Erden Atic, who said a couple of sentences in Albanian and then abruptly left the session.
Ugljanin made serious accusations against the mayor – such as lack of communication, while also pointing out that „Atic doesn’t think for himself“.
He also commented on the Pristina government, accusing Kosovo Minister of Local Self-Government Administration, Elbert Krasniqi, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Emilia Rexhepi, of obstructing the work of this institution and „intentionally appointing their own people“ in this municipality.
Ugljanin also revealed that „99% of people who are not from the north“ are employed in this municipality.
„I purposely mentioned the Minister of Local Self-Government because he is a member of another municipality, that is, a member of the presiding committee for communities in another municipality – here he is the director for communities,“ he argued, claiming that it was this minister who appointed him to that post.
He also commented on the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo.
„I purposely mentioned Deputy Prime Minister Emilia Redxepi as well. She appointed directors from Prizren and Dragas, we don’t have any directors from the north, except for the deputy mayor, 99% of the employees are from the South and all of that was politically imposed,“ he underlined.
Moreover, he shared a series of accusations against the mayor of North Mitrovica, Erden Atic, who was sitting next to him at the time.
The chairman accused Atic of a number of things, from the non-acceptance of delegates and councillors to non-transparency towards citizens and the media.
The only Serbian councillor in this convocation, Dusan Milunovic, then asked the mayor why the decisions made by the assembly were not implemented.
„Yesterday, we listed the decisions we made, and none of those decisions were implemented. I would like for you to tell us what the problem is for certain decisions. You remember, for example, for certain decisions related to floods or the decision on the formation of an office for communities, what is preventing these things from happening. Is it coming from our side or does something additional need to be done in order to put these things in order,“ asked Milunovic.
Atic, however, remained silent, and in response, once again stormed out of the hall.
Before leaving, he gestured to his deputy Katarina Adzancic to do the same, who nevertheless decided to stay until the end.
Ugljanin also commented on Atic’s gesture:
„That’s how they function, unfortunately, they cannot do that with me, nor with the delegates for sure, to get up and call the deputy to leave the session as well. What kind of freedom and democracy is that?“
The chairman alleged that Atic is „not a free man“.
„That tells you that he can’t resist, he’s not free, he doesn’t have the freedom to express his opinion as a mayor,“ he says.
I sincerely feel sorry for him, I feel sorry for him because he doesn’t know what he is doing, because there is so much pressure on him
He also claims that the employees of this institution are under pressure from the mayor.
„Imagine what they do to these employees here every day, what they go through, when he treats the delegates like this, imagine how they treat ordinary employees,“ he said.
He also stated that the female staff employed in this institution are „especially facing severe psychological pressure“.
„I fear the most for these workers here, because of psychological pressure which especially affects the female staff who work within this institution. You may not believe it, but I have seen it, we need to hire at least 10 psychologists here to help these women. Unfortunately, that’s how thongs are, the anarchy continues,“ claims Ugljanin.
Ugljanin also alleged that this behaviour of the mayor is part of the „mission“ or „agreement“, and if this practice continues, there may be serious consequences, he added.
„It is important that we are not part of that agreement and that we are not the core of the escalation or, God forbid, of the conflict that may happen, because if this type of politics continues, I am afraid that it may also happen, but we as an assembly will not to be part of that game,“ he argued.
He also reminded that Atic was also a part of this convocation before becoming the mayor, and that together with councillors he participated in decision-making, which is not being implemented now.
„Until May 19, before taking office, the mayor participated in decision-making together with us and he voted for these decisions,“ said Ugljanin.
The proposals that the executive power will submit to the assembly, he emphasized, will not be adopted by this convocation.
„Let them continue with their arrogance, and we will continue with ours. Whatever they submit to the Assembly, rest assured that it will not pass, we will defend the interests of all citizens and the community until the end of the mandate,“ said the chairman of the North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly.
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